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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Feb 07, 2024 12:00 AM Snow in Gdansk
My flight to Europe was departing just after midnight. 10 hours in the air, then short connection in Paris, second change of the plane in Amsterdam and I landed in Gdansk. Yesterday hot African sun. Here it was snowing... What a difference! It is time for the little rest. Then I'll make the laundry - because the next week I will be flying again to the warmth!
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Feb 06, 2024 12:00 AM Safari in South Africa
In the past I visited many national parks in different African countries. Also big Kruger in South Africa. My travel companion wanted to see african animals, but we did not have time and money for the multiday expedition with overnigh stays in the park. I found the solution: in the RSA there are small, private game reserves. I decided to go to Aquila Safari located less then 200 kms drive from Cape Town.
They offer morning safari starting with... good breakfast at 7 am. Then they pack tourist into safari bus -a kind of the 4WD truck. Roads in the park are bumpy (oh my backbone!) But the ride through the bush gives a chance to see giraffes, buffalos, ostrich, zebras and antelopes, baboons and rhinos and elephants
Finally we saw lion the king with his 3 ladies. Great, half-day adventure cost us less than 100 za USD per person. Then I was driving back to Cape Town by the new, picturesque road through Ceres and Wellington....
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Feb 05, 2024 12:00 AM To the South African interior
I decided to leave Cape Town and rent a car to go to the interior. We took road N1 heading east. Soon we were enhanced by great mountain landscapes, especially on both sides of the Hugenote Tunnel. They charge here 47 rands to pass 4-kms tunnel. Then we were crossing huge valley filled with kilometers of vine orchards.
Unfortunately along N1 thereare also shantytowns - not a pleasant view! In the midday our car was climbing a high pass enjoying great panoramas... Finally at 2 pm we reached little township Touws Riviers. 8,5 kms from the highway Hillary offers countryside accommodation in the middle of nowhere. It is small house surrounded by color hills. From the highway we were driving on gravel to the gate of farm 5 kms, then Hi?ary arrived by 4x4 truck to take us and the luggage through the holes to this separated place. This will be night in the very special place! I am tired, also because strong sun and heat...
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Feb 04, 2024 12:00 AM Cape of the Good Hope
I have been there last time in 2005 - 19 years ago! Then it was final accent of my 4-months transafrican journey...
This is the magic place! But to go there from Vape Town you have to rent a car. It is 65 kms each way. No problem! Many car rental agancies offer here small cars with basic insurance for 26-30 dollars per day.
The route via Muizenburg, Fish Hoek and Simons Town is very picturesque. Beaches are just great! Just after Simons Town there is Boulders African Penguin Colony - great place to see those funny creatures from the short distance. They charge here 190 rand emtry fee, like 10 USD, but it is worth... Later you pay again 400 rands per head for the entry to the national park. I saw kudy antelopes, african ostrich and baboons from the car window before I reached the car park at the bottom of the rock marking the Cape. People are taking picture in front of the commemorative plaque... Only few climb to the top of this rock - the trail is in the poor shape... I did.
Then we were driving to the Cape Point - another cape, where the old lighthouse was built in 19th century. There is nice walkway and stairs heading to the lighthouse or funicular for those, who cannot climb. View from the lighthouse terrace is fantastic - you see the real Cape of Good Hope and stunning Diaz Beach between the capes. I had much better weather today then 19 years ago. Memories...
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Feb 03, 2024 12:00 AM Robben Island - prison of Nelson Mandela
If you are in Cape Town it is one of "must to see" places. On the lonely island in the bay, some 12 kms from Waterfront during colonial and apartheid times there was a heavy prison. Recently for the political prisoners. Nelson Mandela - Nobel prize winner spent there many years. Now it is converted into museum. Some 200 live now on the island - museim and services workers.
Practically the only way to visit island is to buy the package tour including RT ferry, bus transport on the island and entry fee. It costs 600 rands. No discounts, no mercy! Ferry departs every two hours to reach the island after 50 min sail.
Yes, it is interesting. You will see Mandela' poor cell, different "sections" of the prison. The guides are forrmer prisoners of Robben Island. Cloudy day, but still hot. Nice view of the Table Mountain from the ferry...
Dear Mr Admin. Since two days I cannot upload any pictures to my travel log and you are not responding my polite letters... Please do something! Thank you!
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Feb 02, 2024 12:00 AM Table Mountain end to end!
Without spectacular Table Mountain in the background Cape Town will never be so nice. Do you know that Table Mountain is on the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World?
The weather was clear today so I decided to go up again. It cost me 99 rands for uber taxi to get to the lowes station of the Cable Way. Roung trip ticket costs 420 rands - like 20 euro. Then you wait about half an hour in the line and after few minutes of spectacular ride you are landing on the level of 1060 m above the ocean - to enjoy the great views of Cape Town and two side peaks: Lions Head and Devils Peak. Well maintained trail takes you to the others view points on the edge. The mountain is about 3 kms long. If you want to go to the other end you can cross in the middle little canyon with chains installed to help.
On the other end of Table Mountain is Maclear's Beacon 1086 m high - about 20 m higher then the upper cable car station on the opposite end. Few tourist go there. I did. It was worth!
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Feb 01, 2024 12:00 AM African Uber - very good solution!
Shame on you NCL! Already at 6 am they were calling passengers to disembark the ship - it was still dark! I did not care, first I went to the self-service restaurant to take a solid breakfast, then I went to the exit on deck 4. Imagine that they control if the passenger paid his bill! I did, but I saw crying lady who has problem with her credit card - it is better to bring two - just in case!
Then on the pier it was shown how NOT to organize disembarkation process. We have to went out the port in the buses. Initially there was no bus. When it appeared a crowd of the passengers with their all luggage taken on the pier.... No information... They took us to the distant cruise terminal. And disloaded. My God!
So what I am doing here? Well, the organization on NCL is poor, but the route of this cruise was unique... It is over...
I conected to the wifi in the mearby Victoria Wharf shopping center and called Uber. The driver appeared soon. But before I was forced to give them my credit card number. 15 min driving to the pension on Salt River cost me 50 rands - like 3 dollars. After morning stress I have a chance to relax and make laundry. From the balcony I see old colonial houses. It is windy today. For tomorrow they announce 38 deg Celsius. Welcome to Souh Africa!
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Jan 31, 2024 12:00 AM Under Table Mountain
We passed Cape of the Good Hope in the night. In the morning, after 19 yaars I saw again famous Table Mountain. Our ship docks in the commercial port and they provide free bus transfer to Victoria Wharf - elegant shopping center opened in the former storages of the old port. It is sunny day, but the temperature is moderate.... Beware of changing money here in the banks or exchanges - they apply hefty commission 6 to 12 percent. It is much better to pay everywhere where possible with your credit card! Cape Town look much nicer than years ago...
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Jan 30, 2024 12:00 AM Mossel Bay. South Africa
In the morning we reached this little port on the Indian Ocean, the last one before we will turn around Cape of the Good Hope to Atlantic
Mossel Bay lives from fishing and tourism. The port is too small to receive big ships, so we were forced to tender. Not easy task, because port authorities gave us too little space at the pier to dock more than one tender at a time. Tenders from the ship were waiting in the line to disload passengers...
Mossel Bay is a resort town with nice beach and the tourist office on the main crossroad. Shame - this office doesn't provide for visitors any wifi connection. You have to walk to flea market to have free internet. Then I took a walk along the coast to the lighthouse on the Cape St Blaize - the path is well maintained... Great views from the lighhouse gate but to climb to the top of the tower you have to pay 100 rands - drink included. Nice, sleepy town. 27 deg Celsius. But where is the sun?
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Jan 29, 2024 12:00 AM Port Elizabeth - South Africa
I woke up at sunrise - in the middle of the piles of containers. This is important port Port Elizabeth, founded in 1820, when first British settlers landed here.
Our ship is badly organized - we were waiting on the pier 40 min for the first bus wishing to take us off the big port (authorities do not allow to walk across the port). They disembarked us at the Campanile tower - near the highway - just steps from the old city center. I was lucky to meet there Cania - the student of turism. As a practice students in the red T-shirts offer their guidance in the city. I like it! We took the steps to the beautiful Market Square with Victorian Library and elegant city hall. The Library is worth to see inside. I remember this nice building from my first visit in Port Elizabeth. Then we were climbing uphill passing Opera House (poor in comparison to Europe) and great, stylish Edward Hotel (see picture) to Dunkin place - the park near lighthouse and huge flagpole. Tourist office here offers maps and free wifi. The other attraction to see is Little Fort Frederick, built by Brits - with the nice view of the port. Nice place, but the giide warn you against bag snatchers and pickpocketing. Africa!
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